Educational field day on Aug 1-2 will feature field demonstrations by tile drainage designers, installers, excavators and GPS users. Exhibitors and repeat educational sessions will also be available both days providing information on gaining the greatest value from drainage systems.

After several years of wet weather across the corn belt, farmers are seeing the need for effective tile drainage in their fields. This field day event will provide on-site drainage tile installations including creative environmental protection management practices.

“Everyone knows that drainage increases yields. It also decreases ponding and runoff, and in doing so, reduces surface erosion that carries sediment and nutrients offsite,” states Natalie Rector, Michigan State University Extension Educator. “We want to take advantage of this benefit without consequently losing nutrients through the soil profile to the drains.” Taking a two-pronged approach to manure, this event will demonstrate first how to customize management systems on your farm to avoid manure and or nutrients reaching subsurface drain tiles and second, in the chance that it does happen, what systems could be in place to keep it from doing environmental harm. But it all begins with properly designed and installed tile systems.

Participants will have an opportunity to see various installers in action and learn how to make effective decisions about drainage on their farms and particular soil conditions. Installation of water control devices will also be demonstrated. Educational sessions will be held under a tent and in the field, each day repeating at 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Session topics will include manure calibration, nutrient recycling, cover crops, vertical tillage demos and a smoke demonstration in existing tile lines.

Along with in-field demonstrations running continuously both days, there will also be opportunity to visit with numerous exhibitors with related products and services.

Experts from neighboring states will be on hand as well as panel discussions of farmers relaying their experiences in making systems work for their farm goals.

The event is free with on-site food purchase available, and exhibitors will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. It is located at 5211 W. Chicago Road, Jonesville, MI 49250, in Hillsdale County. Sessions will be repeated over the course of the two- day event. 4 credits for certified crop advisors will be provided by attendance.

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is a member of American Farm Bureau Federation®, a national organization of farmers and ranchers including Farm Bureau® organizations in 49 other states and Puerto Rico, and is responsible for Farm Bureau membership and programs within the State of Ohio. Ohio Farm Bureau Federation programs and services are available only to Farm Bureau members within Ohio. The political views expressed in these pages represent Ohio Farm Bureau Federation's positions on various issues as they relate to Ohio. The positions of the national Farm Bureau organization collectively are expressed through American Farm Bureau Federation. Any opinions, statements or views expressed through comments or by outside contributors are the express views of those individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.